New school vs old school

My dad is old school - he grew up under Roosevelt, served in WW2 as a flight instructor, wept at JFK's assassination and bolted the party (officially) over Johnson and Vietnam.

He insisted to me as recently as Monday that Kerry would win it - complacent that Bush's incompetance and phoney faith had worn off and people would dump him. He predicted big for Kerry (he's not on the internet, FWIW).

I told him I thought Bush would win the PV by 3-4%, would win CO, and that Kerry had a struggling chance for the EV with wins on Ohio and PA (Florida was a goner, as far as I was concerned.) He scoffed confidently. I asked him when the last time a sitting senator was elected president. 44 years ago.

My point is this; the Democratic party got a hint in 2000, and didn't respond to it. Kerry is a good man - upright, solid, and a better campaigner I think than Gore. But he is an Establishment Democrat. He's a sitting duck for the New Right - they've been practicing against guys like Kerry since Gingrich was up there making his buzzword lists. The Republicans reinvented themselves, and I do NOT believe the Democrats have.

Dean was trying to shake things up. In some ways, so was Clark. The party establishment felt uncomfortable getting behind either of them. I think Clark, with some work on his campaigning, would have wiped the floor with these drones. But I think the establishment didn't give him the chance, and I am quite convinced he won't run again. Sorry, I see Edwards as 'new' old school. I think he's done.

In short - yes, Dean for DNC, and damn the torpedoes. We need Obama up there, we need Rendell and Vilsack up there, we're going to need Ken Salazar (a CO Democrat rancher in a cowboy hat) up there.

2006 is an opportunity.

Flame away.